The Second World War affected everyone, including artists, and the mood of pessimism and dread trickled down into the works of the period. But as the war reached its climactic end and the Nazis and Japanese were defeated, a sense of optimism rekindled the art world. Artists reached deep within them to make sense of the consequences of the war, and their art reflected a darkness brought about by discovery of the Holocaust and the indiscriminate violence of a vicious war. With Europe devastated, the center of gravity of the art world shifted to New York City, and American artists rose in prominence.
Jackson Pollock made famous the dripping and flicking techniques of painting, creating expressive abstract paintings. Others returned to the subconscious to draw forth images and inspiration, creating bold and visually attractive art. Very large expanses of colors on canvases allowed artists to display art that overwhelmed and surrounded the viewer. Sculptures also evolved, moving from a conscious inspiration to a stream of consciousness that displayed surprise and celebration.
Other art currents ebbed and flowed through the decades, but towards the end of the 1950s Pop emerged as the dominant form. Inspired from magazines and luxury lifestyles, Pop involved everyday images and objects depicted in new and surprising ways.
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